Potato Chestnut Soup Recipe

Potato Chestnut Soup overflows with delicious earthy, warming flavors. Made with fresh roasted chestnuts and rosemary, this is an ideal vegan fall and winter soup, and it's especially lovely during the holiday season.

Chestnuts are a unique, subtly soft nut that are fantastic when roasted and paired with potatoes and rosemary -- especially in this rich and creamy chestnut soup!

This is one of the creamiest soups you'll ever have, that does not have cream in it!

Potato Chestnut Soup is vegan, made with fresh roasted chestnuts, and a handful of basic ingredients that create a truly special comforting and hearty meal.

And the crunchy, sweet and spicy chestnut garnish on this soup is nothing short of spectacular. Really, I could munch on it all day. It adds interest to the soup, and it's so pretty floating on top -- it's one of my favorite chestnut recipes in and of itself! (It's also excellent on salads!)

Key Ingredients

• roasted shelled chestnuts - Ideally, start with fresh chestnuts, roast and peel them. Fresh chestnuts should be in grocery stores from November through December. If you'd like to save time, you can find roasted chestnuts in stores. You can also find steamed chestnuts that are jarred or in vacuum-sealed packages, which will work well as a substitute.
• potato - The potato is what makes chestnut soup so creamy. I recommend Yukon Gold, though you can substitute with yellow or Rusett potatoes.
• vegetable stock - The flavor and richness of vegetable stocks vary from brand to brand, and of course if they're homemade. Try to get one with little to no sodium. This way you can better control the flavor of the soup. The final color of your soup will likely vary, depending on the richness of the stock you use. You can substitute with vegetable broth, but if it's especially rich and dark in color, swap a third to half of it with water.
• fresh rosemary - Rosemary adds a wonderful earthy pine-like flavor to the soup. If it's not growing in your yard, look around the neighborhood. Once you start looking (in areas with a warmer climate), you'll see it everywhere. You can substitute with dried rosemary, using about ⅓ the amount.
• ground cloves - Cloves are a warming spice that really enhances the overall flavor profile in this recipe. You can substitute with cinnamon or allspice.
• ground chipotle or cayenne - This is for the spiced chestnut garnish that gets sprinkled on top of the soup. The kick this adds is delicious!
• brown sugar - We only use a tiny bit, to balance the heat for the chile powder in the spiced garnish.

* Here's How to Peel and Roast Fresh Chestnuts *

PLEASE NOTE - Chestnuts must be cooked before you eat or use them in chestnut recipes. According to WebMD and many other sources, raw chestnuts are are not safe for everyone to eat. They contain tannic acid, which in some people causes stomach irritation, nausea, or liver damage if you have liver disease or experience a lot of kidney problems.

How to Make Potato Chestnut Soup

- First, to make the spiced chestnut garnish, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Then sauté and stir just until it's golden brown, about 5 minutes. (Watch it carefully, as it can go from golden to burnt quickly.) Set aside until you serve the soup. 


- Cook the onion in a soup pot that's lightly coated with olive oil. When it's soft, after about 7 minutes, add the rosemary and ground cloves and stir. Let it cook until it's very aromatic, about 30 seconds.


- Add the chestnuts and potatoes and cook, stirring every so often, for about 5 minutes.

- Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. (Times will vary depending of the size of the potato pieces.)

- Pour the soup into a powerful blender, and blend on high until it's completely smooth. This should only take about 15 seconds.



Pro Tip: Please note that when you blend hot liquids in the blender, you should hold down the lid very firmly. If you don't, the hot liquid, vibration, and steam can force the lid off. 


- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top each serving with the Spiced Chestnut Garnish and a drizzle of olive oil.

Variations

• Chunky version. If you prefer a chunkier consistency for your soup, you can blend it halfway. This will keep some of the soft potato chunks and chestnut pieces, while still providing the creamy texture around them. To do this, use the pulse button of your blender for a couple of seconds at a time, so you can easily stop when the texture is how you want it.
• Spicy version. Add about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of ground chipotle or cayenne pepper when you add the ground cloves. It's best to start with less, and add more if you want to.
• Add-ins. Chestnut soup pairs really well with mushrooms sautéed with sherry, roasted cauliflower and caramelized bussels sprouts. If you add roughly 1 cup of any of these to the soup, it'll be extra hearty and delicious.

Making it Ahead and Storage

Refrigerator. This soup can be stored for four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove.
Freezer. You can freeze the soup in an airtight container for about six weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it with medium-low heat on the stove.

Pro Tip: If after you've stored the soup, or even right after it's made, if it's thicker than you'd like, just add more vegetable stock to the desired consistency.

Serving Suggestions

• Potato Chestnut Soup is definitely hearty enough for a main course soup -- especially if you add any of the aforementioned roasted vegetables (see Variations above).
• A small portion is perfect for a first course soup. If you're serving it as a first course, it's excellent followed with Romesco Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower, Cabbage-Turmeric Stew or, if you don't need to keep the meal vegan, Smoky Roasted Turkey.

More Recipes with Chestnuts

• Chestnut-Honey Butter
• Red Wine Braised Chestnuts
• Italian Sausage Chestnut Pasta
• Chestnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free)

More Must-Try Cozy Creamy Vegan Soups

I hope you love this Potato Chestnut Soup as much and my family and I do!

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